*As N/Assembly workers begin warning strike
Henry Omunu, Abuja
The National Assembly chapter of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) has issued a 4-day warning strike notice to commence tomorrow, Monday, December 17,2018.
The warning strike puts in doubt the presentation of the 2019 appropriation bill by President Muhammad Buhari scheduled for Wednesday,December 19, this year.
Chairman of the protesting workers, Bature Mohammed in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, said the decision to embark on the warning strike was reached at an emergency congress held on December 14.
Mohammed said that the warning strike which would run till December 20 when the National Assembly is billed to proceed on the yuletide break, is to press home the demands of the workers for better working conditions.
The chairman advised that all members of the association should stay away from their duty posts during the period.
Members of PASAN had on December 4 shut down operations at the National Assembly when they prevented lawmakers from sitting.
The grievances of PASAN include, a new condition of service for members, promotion and payment of 28 per cent increment in salary as contained in the 2018 budget.
Reacting to the strike threat, spokesman of the House of Representatives, Abdulrazaq Namdas said that the leadership of the National Assembly was intervening to stop the sttike.
“We are intervening and we are still on the matter; we even invited and interacted with the minister of finance and the interaction was to know why the money that was supposed to be released to the workers was not released.
“That is to show the extent we are willing to go for the workers to get their dues.
“What we are appealing for now is for the workers to continue to be very understanding. The budget is to be presented by Wednesday, we all know the possible implication on the entirety of Nigerians, if the document is not presented on that day.
“Our appeal is that since we are still very much on the issue and engaging the critical stakeholders, the workers should reconsider their stand and let the engagement continue for a quick resolution,” he stated.
